Strategies to Save Money Telephone Plans

We’ve found great strategies to save money on your telephone plans.

Does your bank account take a hit when you pay your monthly phone bill? Is your long-distance plan draining your wallet?

Do you wish you could establish more intimate business contacts over the phone but you feel like you have to resort to emails to save a few extra cents?

There are many alternatives to the traditional phone plan. You should know about them so that you can make an informed decision.

Keep reading to see if these strategies to save money fit your needs.

On his website, financial guru Clark Howard highlights some “free and cheap” communications options. Below are a few for you to check out.

For Free Directory Assistance:

1. Call 1-800-FREE-411

2. Call 1-800-GOOG-411 or text a request to 46645

3. Call 1-800-YellowPages

For Long Distance Deals:

1. Oovoo.com – Provides free video conferencing and messaging

2. Talkster.com – Provides free long distance calling services

3. MagicJack.com – Provides unlimited local and long distance calls (domestically) for $40 per year

4. Americom.com – Provides state-to-state calls for 3.9 cents per minute and a monthly fee of 99 cents; there is no minimum usage required; new clients receive 100 minutes for free

5. American Telecom Network – Provides state-to-state calls for 4.9 cents per minute with no monthly fees or activation fees; for more information, call 1-888-ITS-GREAT

6. Capsule.com – Provides calls for 3.9 cents a minute with six-second billing; consider this plan if you are willing to autopay your bill or if you make more than $20 in phone calls per month; if this does not describe you, you will be charged a fee, so it’s best to use another service

7. Pioneer.com – Provides calls starting at 2.7 cents per minute for some state-to-state calls and to other members of Pioneer; if you make more than $25 in phone calls each month, consider this plan; if this does not describe you, you will be charged a $2 fee for low usage

8. Total Call International – Provides state-to-state calls for 2.9 cents per minute; if you make more than $20 in calls each month, consider this plan; if this does not describe you, you will be charged $2.50 per month; there are plans available that do not charge fees but do charge a higher rate per minute

For Inexpensive International Cell Phone Plans:

1. MAXroam.com – Provides cell phone services abroad for a low cost

2. TheTravelInsider.info – Provides information for you to unlock your phone to use it anywhere worldwide

3. Global-call.net – Provides a pre-paid, rechargeable calling card with good international rates for calling back to the United States

For Free Text Messaging:

1. Txt2day.com – Provides free text messaging

2. Mywirelessreminder.com – Provides free text messaging

For Computer-to-Phone or Computer-to-Computer services:

1. Skype.com – Provides free worldwide computer-to-computer calls with Skype’s free software

2. Sipphone.com – Provides free worldwide calling with the SIP phone; the phone plugs into a broadband internet connection; the recipient of the call must also have a SIP phone; buy two phones for $129 or one phone for $80

3. Yahoo! Voice – Provides free computer-to-computer calls between Yahoo! Messenger uses; long distance computer-to-phone calls within the United States are 1 cent per minute; international rates vary depending on location

4. Net2phone – Provides computer-to-phone calls for 2 cents per minute; international rates vary depending on location

For Calling Cards:

1. Costco/MCI – Provides 700 minutes for $19.99 (that’s less than 2.9 cents per minute); Costco also offers international calling cards that you can recharge and that never expire

2. Sam’s Club/AT&T – Provides pre-paid calling cards; buy one 1,500-minute card or a pack of 20 100-minute cards for 3 cents per minute; these prices include shipping

For Voice E-mail:

1. Onebox.com – Provides e-mail, voicemail, and fax services for $9.95 per month

2. Ureach.com – Provides email and voicemail services for $2.99 to $6.99 per month; try one month for free

3. Callwave.com – Provides an internet answering machine; basic services are free; premium services cost $2.95 to $9.95

If you need cheaper communications services, try exploring the above options. These strategies to save money can cut your business’s costs and keep your money in your wallet.